Atsushi Kobayashi

Atsushi Kobayashi’s teapots, informed by his training in oil painting, practically overflow with the spirit of free-flowing originality. Just as paint is applied here and there, layer by layer, onto a white canvas to form a harmonious picture, so do Kobayashi’s pieces burst with a dynamic yet cohesive sense of color, forming a unified work that is lovely to behold.

One look at a Kobayashi piece is enough to make one wonder what the artist will come up with next. But Kobayashi says that not even he can predict what turns his work will take.

“I don’t want to make the same things I’ve made before,” he says. “There’s both something enjoyable and something painful about constantly innovating. But I want to make pieces that feel fresh each time you use them, that you won’t ever tire of. “

“Of course, after using anything for a number of years, you’re going to want something new. In that case, I’d like my customers to choose and enjoy another of my works.” Each of Kobayashi’s pieces are unique, down to the handles of the pot and lid, offering innumerable fresh delights.

Kobayashi was born in 1961 in the town of Seto, Aichi prefecture. That town is home of one of Japan’s most illustrious ceramics traditions, and Kobayashi himself can count ceramics artisans among his relatives. Yet he had no interest in the art growing up, and attended nearby Nagoya Zokei Junior College of Art and Design not for pottery but for oil painting. He enjoyed the freewheeling life of a student, forming a rock band while pursuing his studies. After graduation, he moved to Tokyo and worked at a bar while pursuing music and painting on the side. Over time, he fell in love with literature as well.

At 26, Kobayashi returned to Seto and, through his reading, became absorbed in mysticism. He took up yoga, and began drawing intricate mandalas. It was around this time that Kobayashi took an interest in three-dimensional art – a development that led him to begin exploring ceramics.

He began attending a ceramics school, making various objets d’art and other pieces. But Kobayashi was caught off-guard by the fact that he would have to pay to fire his pieces – sometimes substantial sums, in the case of larger pieces. Along the way, someone suggested he sell his pieces. They were a hit – perhaps a case of Kobayashi’s Seto heritage coming to the surface. He began to focus heavily on his ceramics work, and around the age of 30 became a fully independent artisan after debuting a host of modern works.

“Pottery is what you get when you fire the earth. Just as stones and clay lie beneath pure and clear rivers, so does pottery – made from those same products of the earth – sit beneath our tea, our liquor, our food. The earth’s scenery is itself beautiful and stimulating, and I put that same energy into my ceramics.” Kobayashi’s unique sense of beauty is truly delightful to behold – give his pieces a look.